PREFATORY ADDRESS. SECOND year has passed: another Volume of "the Oxford Magazine" is now thankfully presented to its readers. The retrospect, while it tells of healthy growth and gradual development, also bids us hope that a further encouragement will be accorded to it. In a former address we stated that "the Magazine had so far been in a critical state of existence-making a character for itself;" and we assumed that twelve months' life was sufficient to establish that character. After another year of trial, cheered by many encouraging notices from literary reviewers, we again appeal to it with an honest conviction that the character of "the Oxford Magazine" entitles it to hope for increased and permanent support. The principles on which the Magazine has been (and will continue to be) conducted are patent to all who have hitherto welcomed our monthly issue. To those who have not, we repeat in few words what we said at the onset, that "The Oxford Magazine and Church Advocate" is intended to be a Periodical of general character, in which Church of England principles are recognized as the ruling authority. It is not our wish to be what is called a "religious periodical," but it is our desire to build on a broad, solid Church of England foundation, refusing all material which is either theoretically or practically antagonistic to it. Our Church is worthy of the allegiance and love of all English people, because it is the truest and best of all religious communities in the country: believing this, we shall continue to enter on religious questions with zeal, but with no party spirit, and in as genial a manner as is consistent with reverence and good taste; neither ascetic nor bigoted in our tone on the one hand, nor too lax or trivial on the other; and while we continue to oppose with our best ability all compromise in essential Church matters, we shall endeavour to treat opinions of a mere party nature in a conciliatory spirit. The general contents of "the Oxford Magazine" may be more readily gleaned from a perusal of the foregoing Index. Every taste seems provided for; every class of readers considered: and to this in the future we pledge ourselves so long as we retain the substantial interest of our friends. On the ground, therefore, of this established character, and this determination so to continue, we enlist the sympathetic services of all friends in making our Magazine more widely known. Lend it to your acquaintances! Give specimen numbers! Tell your friends that it is a mistake to allow to the "Oxford Magazine” a local standing only; it is intended to be a General Magazine for General Circulation, local in every Parish of England where a Clergyman holds the cure of souls; and should be welcome in every family circle which recognises the teaching of England's Church. The grateful duty alone remains of tendering our sincere thanks to those Literary Contributors who have done so much to popularise our efforts, and to those Subscribers and Friends who have so far helped us on our way. |